Brighton & Hove Albion have stepped up their pursuit of Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor by submitting a bid worth around €34 million (£30 million) for the highly rated teenager.
According to transfer experts Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook, the Premier League club have formalised their interest after being linked with the Nigerian-born defender earlier this week.
Atalanta Set For Transfer Windfall
Atalanta would make an instant profit if they accept the offer, having signed Ahanor from Genoa for €20 million last summer.
The transfer made him the second-most expensive Italian 17-year-old in football history.
The 18-year-old has continued to enhance his reputation, making 41 senior appearances across all competitions, including nine in the UEFA Champions League. His rapid development has attracted interest from several clubs outside Serie A.
Ahanor also earned his first senior Italy call-up earlier this month under interim coach Silvio Baldini, featuring in friendly matches against Luxembourg and Greece with a squad made up largely of Under-21 players.
However, it remains uncertain whether Brighton’s offer will be enough to tempt Atalanta into a sale.
The Bergamo club are under little financial pressure after agreeing deals expected to bring in around €105 million from the impending transfers of Marco Palestra to Chelsea and Ederson to Manchester United.
